The Still Small Voice – Are You Listening to It?

Do you feel lost at times, almost in a state of paralysis when confronted with making some decision? In my last blog I wrote about our freedom of choice, of choosing the path we desire to walk. But all of us, myself included, can allow ourselves to be so beaten down by the opinions of others or the range of possibilities that we find ourselves confused and overwhelmed. We may feel unable to decide the best course to take. There is help, but all-to-often we don’t listen to it.

It is at times like this that I remember a phrase used by one of the great spiritual thinkers of the recent past, Emma Curtis Hopkins. She believed in listening to “the still small voice” within each of us to guide and direct our path. Mrs. Hopkins had a complete and unwavering faith in the energy around us that she called God or Spirit, as well as some other terms. If the word “God” does not work for your spirituality, find one that does. And if no word works for you that’s fine, too! The concept of what “the still small voice” is has value for everyone.

So exact what is this “still small voice?” In my family if I’d reported hearing voices, either still, small or otherwise, I’d have been assumed to have been possessed by Satan. Hearing voices was the work of the Devil. The religion of my childhood held no concept of God communicating directly with each of us. We could pray to God, but expecting a direct answer was not in the cards. The best explanation of what Mrs. Hopkins meant is from her own writings:

“On rare and wonderful occasions sincere thinkers have heard the voice. It never tells anything but good. It never tells of weakness. It always tells of strength. It never tells of approaching death, It tells how to live. It never speaks of misfortune ahead of us. It always tells of what move to make or what business to begin or pursue to be prosperous.”

So are we to expect that an all-powerful entity or energy speaks quietly? If it’s all that powerful shouldn’t there be a grand entrance like we’ve seen in epic Hollywood movies, with volume to shake the roof? True power doesn’t have to run us over. As my friend, Jaye Taylor, once told me, “God can’t speak to us when we’re noisy.” The concept of power being loud, harsh, physical and invasive is a product of our male-dominated, testosterone-driving western culture, e.g., big pickup trucks with huge tires and a loud muffler equate to “Boy, am I something!”

God doesn’t have overcompensation issues. The power of which Mrs. Hopkins speaks does not have any need to prove itself to anyone. The confidence and power of Spirit is not dependent upon the outside approval or accreditation of others, and neither does our power need to be. If we are taking time to admit to ourselves our heart’s desire; if we are being honest to ourselves our true abilities; then, and only then, will we be made aware of the still small voice, our intuition or just a gut feeling about a decision or our next step.

We have within us the power to change our life and the wisdom to know that the change can come about. How it will come about is revealed when we open ourselves up to that inner wisdom. Perhaps this week you might want to become more consciously aware of how you feel about situations, people and events. I’m not suggesting that you act on your first impulse, but I am proffering the possibility of giving more attention to passing thoughts as evidence of inner guidance, your own still small voice. Maybe you’ll hear something that “clicks” in a song on the radio. You might suddenly think to turn left when you normally turn right on your way to work. The still small voice within each of us is speaking all the time – are you speaking the same language as it is? Could you be available to hear what your intuition has to say? Would you be willing, just for fun, to see what that’s like?